Nearby Theaters

Chakeres Theatres Sidney 3 was closed as a movie theatre in September 2004 after more than 50 years of service to the Sidney community.

Originally known as the Majestic Theatre which opened on September 9, 1921. By 1941 it was the Ohio Theatre when it was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. It had a seating capacity of 1,300 with a single ground floor and the balcony. It was later split into two theatres “giving it the stadium seating of today”. Sidney 3 stopped showing the late shows after 8:pm Sunday – Thursday in the late-1990’s and the end was near when on July 30th, 2004 with the opening of “The Village” they stopped later shows after 8:00pm all together and run just a 7, 7:15 and 7:30 all week with matinees on Saturday and Sunday.

Classic movies would not work at the Chakeres Sidney. The town would not support that, as it also did not support a first run cinema by not allowing kids to be out past 10pm forcing Chakeres to have no late shows even on Fr & Sa. All movies had to be let out by 10:pm everyday! Sidney is a two-week town for movies. The biggest hits drop after the second weekend. The Sidney was the OHIO THEATRE before Chakeres Theatres purchased to cinema. The Sidney played X-Rated movies at midnight on Fri & Sat and mainstream Hollywood fare the remaining time. That was also the policy at the Elder through the 70’s in Jackson Center (Chakeres Never Owned The Elder).

OK – here’s the deal. The theater is for sale by Gay Smith realty http://www.gaysmith.com go to their “property search” and then click on “industrial/commercial” properties. The theater is $175,000 and a photo is included on the web page. I know this place sunk … but many of us are very nostalgic about it. It was absolutely gorgeous before they covered up all of the balconies and ceiling moldings, etc. If someone had a decent business plan and some creativity, I think they could get grant assistance from the city and chamber of commerce for part of the rehab. There are very few theaters in this area – none at all within 8 miles of Sidney now. There has to be some potential here!

I worked at the Sidney theater. It was a fun time I enjoyed it. I worked there all the way up until it closed on Sunday August 22nd 2004. I got a phone call on the following Monday and the manager said It is being closed down, No not even a notice that is was closing they just did without telling anyone. Anyways the theater needs some work but this theater made a decent amount of money, I cannot personally see why they closed it. It was taking in about $5,000 a week. In 2004 we sold out for the first time in 10 years all 300 seats in the main auiditorium for Shrek 2. The last time they sold out was for The Lion King. Sidney can defiantley support a theater, more people would have came to the Sidney theater if it was nice, and clean. I know that the majority of Sidney goes 10 miles down the interstate and goes to the theater that is at a mall there because it is nicer and cleaner. I would love to own this theater myself. If anyone has any questions send me an email at

The Sidney Theater was purchased in July 2006. It is currently undergoing its first phase of renovations. There is no set opening date yet but it is supposed to be open to movie-goers within the next few months.

The Sidney is re-open for business as of 5-4-2007. It mainly focuses on live stage performances at this time as renovations are ongoing and will be for a couple of years. They have live music, live theatrical plays, comedy and are looking into hosting other events. They have even had a wedding reception! Check them out at WWW.MySpace.com/Sidney_Theater

Does anyone know if the Sidney, Murphy (Wilmington, OH) and Regent (Springfield, OH) Theatres were related or just all got their signs produced at the same time by the same company? It seems more than coincidence that all three theatres had six letters in their names and signs of the same design.

Here is a nocturnal photo of the new front of the Sidney Theatre, on the cover of Boxoffice, September 3, 1955. Chakeres Theatres had spent an estimated $500,000 remodeling the Sidney, which it had acquired from Stanley Warner Theatres the previous December.